(Netflix)
A Blandy McBlandface film for the blandiest of McBlandy viewers. Forest Whittaker groans through this end-of-the-world survival thriller as a father who can barely countenance his Blandy McBlandface son-in-law Theo James, who is blandly handsome in that kind of “ooh he’s blandly handsome” way. There’s no real ending here as well, which means the film plays out as some kind of elongated joke to get people to shout “Is that How It Ends?” at the end, and then you just want to slap yourself for watching this. Thank God I was drunk for most of this crap. ** FT
QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY
(Netflix)
‘The success of the first season of Netflix’s Queer Eye (a reboot of the 00s original) has become one of the more positive stories to emerge from 2018. Its second season launched last month, sooner than fans expected, with the charm and sweetness of the debut series yet even more emotional twists and support. Tan France, Karamo Brown, Bobby Berk, Antoni Porowski and Jonathan Van Ness – collectively, the Fab 5 – are all gay and each an expert in areas such as food and fashion, who make over a different ‘hero’ each episode, typically shy, straight men who need a little help with their style and confidence. Season two maintains the comforting positivity of the first, and is as refreshing and compassionate as its preceding series. ***** CE
MORTIMER & WHITEHOUSE: GONE FISHING
BBC (available on BBC iPlayer)
When Bob Mortimer had a triple heart bypass, he admits it “knocked me for six”. In stepped old pal and fellow comic Paul Whitehouse with an invitation to go fishing. Whether having a camera crew present to record the results was always part of the plan isn’t clear, but the pair are certainly amiable company. There are echoes of Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon’s The Trip – episode one even features Mortimer’s Robert de Niro impersonation – as they compare ailments, gently spar and occasionally catch some fish. *** BW
G.L.O.W
(Netflix)
Recently nominated for handful of Emmy’s, G.L.O.W ( standing for Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling) chokeslammed its second season on to Netflix recently and boy does it deliver. Loosely based on the stories behind the 80s wrestling promotion of the same name, G.L.O.W is the story of a ragtag bunch of aspiring actresses and filmmakers who come together to form a ladies wrestling promotion. With a cast full of larger-than-life characters, brilliantly played by lesser known actresses (including singer Kate Nash), this is a classic underdog story, but at 10 episodes each, I just wish the seasons were longer. **** CA
SMASHING HITS! THE 80S POP MAP OF BRITAIN & IRELAND
BBC (available on iPlayer)
In the first episode of the series, Midge Ure asked Kim Appleby whether the pop music of Britain in the 1980s receives the fair press it deserves nowadays, as the pair set out to explore the ground-breaking and innovative sounds which came out of Britain’s urban spaces in the 80s in this fascinating series. From the politically driven 2-tone of Sheffield to the new romance of London via stops in Wales, Ireland and Scotland, Ure’s question will at least be positively answered by viewers who bask in the sonic rainbow of 1980s British pop on this audio trip down memory lane. ***** CE